Talk about intense. E3 was packed this year with resellers, and less media —but it got bigger, better, and more selective. We were there to get every exciting moment: from Project Milo to Heavy Rain, and exclusive interviews. As always, it was certainly a great time, and now that time is over. It’s time to look forward, ahead to newer and better releases, and to ennoble titles in this year’s WhatIfGaming’s Best Of E3 Awards 2009.

Criteria: The Best of E3 Awards, a subcategory for the WhatIfGaming Prizes, are given solely to those video games that demonstrate a pure excellence in the field for which they are not only nominated but also chosen. These awards only apply to playable games at E3 given a few exceptional categories.

Nomination & Selection Process: Compared with other site awards, the WhatIfGaming Prize nomination and selection process is long and extremely rigorous. This is the sole reason why WhatIfGaming Prizes have grown in importance over the years to become the most important prizes in their field. Forms, which amount to a personal and exclusive invitation, are sent to about over 1,000 selected individuals to invite them to submit nominations months in advance from the latest builds per video game. Self-nominations are disqualified. For WhatIfGaming Prizes, inquiries are sent to such people as developers, industry experts, analysts, among others. After our deadline passes, the nominations are chosen by permanent committee of 5 selected individuals from staff and only the final stage of nominees remain per category. From all of these, a winner is chosen.

The names of the nominees are not publicly announced, and neither are they told that they have been considered for the WhatIfGaming Prize. Some are announced publicly by practice. Nomination records are revealed approximately 2 years after each respective award year.

Turn your mouse clickers and scroll wheel timers to WhatIfGaming this upcoming Saturday July 1st, 2009 for an exclusive presentation of our 9th year anniversary of the WhatIfGaming E3 Awards for 2009, with official public listing that celebrated from late 2001.

The WhatIfGaming E3 Prizes had their origins ever since the end of 1999’s E3 ceremony when we revealed to select publishers what our site cherished for their offerings during exclusive press meetings through an official sticker prize from yours truly. Very few gained them, and some were only notified. Over the years, the awards became public but remained even more strenuous in criteria, with no nominees ever being publicly listed until  a future predetermined date. 5 members of our staff in a permanent committee select the winners from a long line of industry related inquiries taken and personal consideration.

Also, feel free to log on Friday June 26th, 2009 for an Overlord II review (with over 46 hours played and timed only from us) and also an exclusive post-release interview with the creative minds behind Overlord II and their future plans!

Chinatown Wars seems like a return to Grand Theft Auto series’ 2D beginnings, but it’s far from that. The action is viewed from a top-down perspective, and the action from the actual previous games on consoles translates perfectly well. Chinatown Wars has a lot of similarity with GTA IV than it does with earlier games, and improves on the formula that made those games so successful with great features, incredible storyline, competitive multiplayer, and great minigames.

Set in Liberty City like GTA IV with the exception of one island, Chinatown Wars revolves around a power struggle within the Triad gangs from the perspective of Huang Lee, who just lost his crime-boss father. Huang flies to Liberty City from Hong Kong to avenge his father, and gets caught predictably in the war between those who want to take power for themselves. As Huang, you advance the story by undertaking missions for a number of different characters within the Triad organization, as well as for some people outside of it. Many of these missions involve killing people, and not getting caught by the cops, but there are many missions that use touchscreen and put it to use as a very well thought aspect of gameplay.

Chinatown Wars plays as you would expect from GTA IV, which is quite an achievement. Basic controls for movement and car-jacking are mapped to the same button positions that they are on other platforms. The on-foot and vehicle controls are similar, so GTA fans will find the control learning curve extremely easy. Autotargeting is available to make the game easier to play for drive-by shootings and a steering assist feature automatically straightens up your vehicle so that it’s parallel with the road being driven on. A handy feature is superimposing GPS onto the streets themselves with yellow markers that are actually a welcome addition than having to deter to the map at the bottom of the screen.

Using the touch screen is something Rockstar Leeds does seamlessly without making the action seem dull or tacked on, but it does come with its problems. One downside to Chinatown Wars is in the attempt to replicate the GTA experience to the DS exactly. Fewer buttons give way to using some weapons by utilizing the touchscreen at the most dangerous moments of the game, which makes the stability of the entire gameplay unstable. Having to use the touch screen to both switch between weapons and to throw projectile weapons such as Molotov cocktails, and grenades is cumbersome.

There are a lot of weapons in GTA Chinatown Wars, and the Liberty City Police Department is a constant danger, and they readily give chase if they witness you doing anything inopportune. Similar to previous GTA games, a rating scale of between one and six stars lets you know how many police cars will be chasing you. The more trouble you cause the higher your rating, and the higher your rating the more cops will chase your untoward position down.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is surprising in some aspects, although it still has some problems that keep it from being great. Rockstar Leeds has fit the entire GTA IV Liberty City onto the tiniest fragment of the DS cartridge, which is quite a feat. The game does not feel like a scaled-down handheld version of a GTA game. It feels like a great progression for the series that introduces great design and features that never made it to the console predecessors.

Here’s some great reviews we have coming up:

Killzone 2 [We will be releasing this closer to launch than the February 2nd 'Permission Date' Sony set up for those with early copies of the game] Why? Because as you all know already, we take a more intense and thorough process than most and it does not get done in a day.

Skate 2 Review [This one might be a bit late from our end]

Resident Evil 5 Review [You all read the E3 Impressions already, but this final game is just alive from Capcom. Note: US will be covering all Capcom UK titles in the future since they have some very ignorant media people there].

Best of all: We have a surprise interview with a LEGEND from Japan and Anime Entertainment. Here’s a guess: it starts with ‘Ha’ and ends with ‘Ki’.

Sandisk Imagemate All-in-One Reader/Writer Review

Some other things in the pipeline.

The 2009 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E³) will take place from June 2-4, 2009, at the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC), the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) announced today. The expanded E³ will welcome all qualified computer and video game industry audiences, including international and U.S.-based media, analysts, retailers, developers and business partners to preview the latest in interactive entertainment and technology.

When directly asked if “public,” meaning Timmy and his 4 parkour friends to the game lines will be able to attend, ESA stated to us rather directly:

The changes only include: increased booth sizes, increased qualified audiences, and an intensified focus on reinforcing the improved plans for E^3.

Update: Talk about the level of hate mails I just received (around 500) from posting this. This is what ESA wrote to us. We specifically asked if “non-members” of ESA meant anyone in the public, and that’s a no. It just means that people NOT in the ESA group (few companies, exhibitors, and now developers) can gain access to this event in 2009. Public is still not allowed.

Update # 2: Confirmed again. Not Public. Press/Developers/Attending Companies/Business Partners still need to APPLY to attend. E3 2009 will be like the “old” E3’s in terms of scale in the booths, not public attendance. Public cannot attend.

The Navy has heard about a key that holds a deadly curse, so it must be retrieved at all costs and taken back to their fortress for safekeeping. They send you (Captain Smallberries) to retrieve the key, which was last known to be in Porto Bello, but fears entering Spanish waters under a Navy flag will cause a war between the Navy and Spanish fleets.

The first instance sees you having to escape the Navy in Port Royal. This games is full of action and fun and also doesn’t lack in the speed that each boat game needs to make it fun and enjoyable with the added choice of three types of ship to choose from, Each one repesents a diffrent difficulty setting which adds the extra edge to making the choice. And a good choice is essential due to the pesky Navy making them selves not welcome near enough all the time.

The main menu is really nicely done and is themed to the actual feel of the game unlike some others that are out these days. Its aimed at kids so the menu is really easy to get around and to use.

The game takes the DS back to how it should be and use it for more full on gaming instead of boring games that just feature on the touch screen side of things.

With 70 Levels over seven seas this game ain’t gonna be a one hour job like most D.s titles, You have to fight good fights to get them fabled Keys, Gold and most important to your battle are the weapons which offer some devastating power. And some great sound effects during battles or just cruising the high seas.

Also being able to pick up castaways and having the option of letting them work for you is a real nice touch as well due to it making your ship better for example your lookout or you weapons master and your navigator.

The touch panel of the D.s is used well in this game and not over killed like some of the other companies have done in the past and continue to do. The controls are well done and the touch screen featuring some useful little pieces for you to touch when you need them through out the game.

Also a Multi player feature is available to use in this game, which you can use the single card download play option which saves money for people wanting to play this game who live in the same family or just between friends. Between two or four people can play on one card or two.

You can have the choice of 35 multiplayer arenas to chose from which are spanned over seven themed sea environments. And after every battle showing you a full run down on how well you or your opponent have done against one and another.

To round this game up the words frantic and enjoyable to all ages not just the kids that its aimed at with its age rating and that usually DS games are for the younger age range.

So, its well worth getting even if your old but had pirate fantasy’s when you was a little kid you can live out the dream in a vivid kind of way by getting this game and blowing up some scurvy sea dogs.

LucasArts has always had the tendency to release games with the Jedi-swinging, blade thrusting label in a dark light. Boundlessly, players have been left desultory in showing any sort of concern to the general Star Wars direction in terms of video games. Countless accessories, a ton of spin-off, and many mediocre games after, LucasArts finally manages to make Star Wars: The Force Unleashed a game that doesn’t come up half awry. Any comic-con freak with a lightsaber under his belt will find consolation here, minus the slow slices of saber-burn trailing from the repetitive hack and slash combined with half witted mo-cap acting in a story presented so completely.

The prim compass of this latest Jedi action thriller comes to set between the stories of Episode III and IV, presenting something most people of the series always wanted to see. The sad part really comes from the fact that the story was based on something that wasn’t deemed important enough for the big screen. While the precept of having an original storyline come into a game from such a big name as Star Wars: The Force Unleashed itself, it lends itself to an inherent plague of automatically being downhearted. Coming through the fax machine, George Lucas sends his notes along for the writing team anxiously awaiting certain corrections from their own storyline. As anyone plays through Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, it’s ostensibly uneven to some extent. One minute the apprentice is stabbing Wookies, the next minute he’s crying with emotion. It’s just an example, but imagine a dozen of odd perforations across the board. While we applaud the effort, a more approachable storyline from some, even one person from the actual writing team from the films or countless of other decent novels would have made for a more interesting game.

The mechanics for the actual game itself are difficult at times. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed puts focus of bringing out the force to the maximum in players hands. You can pick up enemies, hurl them, and do whatever you can to them midair. The issue really turns into selective process. Your force powers only apply to certain things across the map and even though you can lift certain ships, you can’t lift an ARC-170. Something that would actually take some effort from the force and unleash it. We definitely need to say this: what the heck?

One great thing anyone can admire about Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is just the sheer amount of technology within the game. Built upon two proprietary engines, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed takes Digital Molecular Matter and Euphoria into the realm of believable. While some of the assets aren’t as impressive when compared to the rest of the game, seeing rebel soldiers cling for their lives is just hilarious. This system isn’t perfect though. DMM is right on the spot, but Euphoria takes a hit. After enemies die and if they’re still held by the force in mid-air, all you ever see is them struggling. Once put down, their body is lifeless. Doesn’t make much sense that someone with a lightsaber just plunged fully into his heart would survive the outcome. Aside from this, the morbidness of the reality makes itself something worth seeing and paying money for up front. It just doesn’t get old.

Lame brains and mediocre manifestation aside, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is an essential component to any Star Wars fans game database. We’re at least glad this isn’t another game in a series of long games LucasArts excreted in the past. We were all tired of squad commandeering in Squad Commando’s, we were sick of the foolish games that made us play machines in a huge war, with Jedi’s as a “weapon” choice. We were dead tired of the old single player and glitched online play that Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy offered, at least having something to actually do with the main action in Star Wars. Now we arrive at Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and at least we’re not left totally disappointed. Runner up to many of our “Best of E3 Awards” WhatIfGaming Prizes, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is something fresh, and new enough to be considered worth buying and playing for long hours at a time. A Star Wars game that actually makes use of something so long forgotten by LucasArts: the Jedi experience.

Throughout our lives we meet certain people. Some Most are plain up rude, snobby, and pretentious. Then there are some pretty cool ones. For the new readers, and our old ones who give loyalty another meaning, you’ve all noticed our latest additions of Editors: David Jeffers and Danny Jeffers. While they have been behind the scenes of WhatIfGaming, making all the amazing things possible with the site production and media over the years, they’re taking more of the spotlight (yes, we got your e-mails) and apparently changing it.

So to show my appreciation for two really talented journalists for WhatIfGaming culture, I have dedicated a little video for them from our thought-to-be lost archive of footage. This whole display is out of the ordinary. If it wasn’t, we really wouldn’t be the blog you have all come to know and love. Stay classy Los Angeles, or wherever you are.

Note: Quicktime Required. Caution before proceeding. Load time est. Broadband: 2 good minutes (DSL/Cable). Flash version to follow in a month.

Direct Download (right click, save-as): Direct Link

Sid Meier’s: Civilization Revolution

Soulcalibur IV Review

Siren: Blood Curse

We’re committed to bringing the best reviews with less BS to all of you guys out there and we’re working hard to do that.

Keep here for more

Another year and another awards season. E3 was packed with exciting memories you have all seen (some still to be posted), and rooms filled with the hottest and most anticipated titles to date. It was certainly a great time, and now that time is over. It’s time to look forward, ahead to newer and better releases, and to ennoble titles in this year’s WhatIfGaming’s Best Of E3 Awards 2008.

Criteria: The Best of E3 Awards, a subcategory for the WhatIfGaming Prizes, are given solely to those video games that demonstrate a pure excellence in the field for which they are not only nominated but also chosen. These awards only apply to playable games at E3 given a few exceptional categories.

Nomination & Selection Process: Compared with other site awards, the WhatIfGaming Prize nomination and selection process is long and extremely rigorous. This is the sole reason why WhatIfGaming Prizes have grown in importance over the years to become the most important prizes in their field. Forms, which amount to a personal and exclusive invitation, are sent to about over 1,000 selected individuals to invite them to submit nominations months in advance from the latest builds per video game. Self-nominations are disqualified. For WhatIfGaming Prizes, inquiries are sent to such people as developers, industry experts, analysts, freelance journalists among others. After our deadline passes, the nominations are chosen by permanent committee of 5 selected individuals and only the final stage of nominees remain per category. From all of these, a winner is chosen.

The names of the nominees are not publicly announced, and neither are they told that they have been considered for the WhatIfGaming Prize. Some are announced publicly by practice. Nomination records are revealed approximately 2 years after each respective award year.

Best Action Game:
Left 4 Dead

Developer: Valve Software
Publisher: Valve Software
Release Date: Winter 2008

Action titles were far to everywhere this E3, but one happened to bite our interests. Literally. Left 4 Dead was full of life when we played it and managed to achieve an unparalleled amount of realism with an unique art direction and moreover gameplay that people of all ages and of all online gaming communities have been craving for.

Runner(s)-Up: Resident Evil 5 (Capcom), Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (LucasArts)

Other Nominees: Fallout 3 (Bethesda Softworks), SOCOM: Confrontation (SCE), Resistance 2 (SCE), Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty (SCE), Fracture (LucasArts)